Halo 4 Campaign Review

343 continues the tradition of light, sound, and magic in the latest installment in the Halo Franchise and the first of three in the Reclaimer Saga.  Gameplay, an epic score, and story culminate into an experience which is not to be missed.  Though it may not stack up as the favorite campaign in the franchise, it is a welcome addition that expanses the Halo universe and sets up the major theme in the new line of story.

 

Gameplay (Heroic difficulty)

 

Halo 4’s gameplay borrows the most from Halo: Reach with the way human and Covenant weapons work as well as armor abilities with some additions.  Like Reach, Halo 4 introduces a variety of new vehicles such as the Mantis and Pelican.  The Covenant weapons behave mostly the same with the replacement of the Plasma Rifle with the “Storm Rifle.”  For those unfamiliar with the way weapons behave in Halo, damage from one of the standard weapons (the battle rifle, assault rifle, DMR, Covenant Carbine) are not enough to kill an enemy of sufficient health like the alien enemy Elites (or fellow Spartans in Multiplayer) without an entire clip unless complete with headshots.  The new strain of weapons comes from the introductory enemy “Prometheans,” which were [No Spoilers] developed by the ancient Forerunner alien race.  The weapons mimic the human and Covenant weaponry with slight differences in handling and special characteristics.  They do not feel like new weapons, but variations of existing ones, which is not a bad thing.  Promethean enemies also mimic Covenant enemies, but only in respect to health and difficulty of dismantling.  Promethean Knights are more satisfying to extinguish than Elites while Promethean Crawlers are nimble and between the difficulty of a Covenant Grunt and Jackal, though less satisfying.  Kill them with headshots.  The humor and adorableness of the Grunt is unfortunately stripped away in Halo 4 with the exception of the option to add a birthday party explosion when dealing a headshot in the options menu.

 

My choice of difficulty, Heroic, is less challenging then previous Halo campaigns due to the abundance of options.  Being able to choose between armor abilities come across, seven varieties of primary rifles, three kinds of grenades, and other specialized weapons makes playing the way a gamer desires easier than ever.  Without the “Famine Skull” option turned on, ammo will be plentiful enough to dispatch hordes of enemies if used efficiently.  However, the game rarely gives a player the tools needed for success and instead requires him/her to earn it by killing the enemies with the weapons desired.  Gameplay is occasionally varied with vehicle missions; though rarely as difficulty as gun gameplay in order to not frustrate those who want to get back to the gunfights as soon as possible.  There even comes a time near the end that feels like “Star Fox” (1993).  Gameplay is overall satisfying and loaded with fun.  Legendary difficulty will be a challenge for any gamer, and along with the all “skull” options turned on, Halo Legendary-All-Skulls-On (LASO) it remains one of the most difficult challenges in video games.

 

Presentation

 

Halo 4 boasts spectacular visuals both during gameplay and cut-scenes equal to if not surpassing the previous best in the franchise, Halo 3.  The mass quantity of visual content seems to be limited only by the aging Xbox 360 console.  The only time when I feel the visuals don’t shine is during a jungle mission in which the organic plant matter lacks the realistic feel the rest of the game is treated with.  The old look of Master Chief’s visor is also missed from Halo 3, though that may just be personal preference.  Sound in the game is an improvement over the franchise’s already award winning quality.  Each action makes a sound that conveys distance, orientation, and magnitude with excellence.  This game is best enjoyed with a surround sound headset.  The most drastic improvement is in gunfire sounding more realistic for human guns and more thought out for alien weapons.  Also changed is the score to the game.  Now renowned composer to the previous Halo games, Marty O’Donnell, has been replaced by “Massive Attack” producer Neil Davidge.  Seemingly inspired from O’Donnell’s work, the soundtrack sounds familiar, though not replicative or emulative.  It works well in the campaign at all times, enhancing suspense and feeling throughout.  However, only some of the music is enjoyable for casual listening to outside of the game.  The music, visuals, and sound shine as well as previous Halo installments and are a primary reason to be wowed by the campaign.

Halo 4 Soundtrack

 

Story (No Spoilers)

 

Halo 4 establishes both morally ambiguity and its concentration on the Master Chief character within its opening scene.  Master Chief is a Spartan super soldier and like all Spartans was kidnapped as a child and turned into something not entirely human.  Spartans are emotionally dysfunctional and sociopathic at times, being closed off and unable to connect to the world around them.  However, the presence of Spartans and in particular Master Chief John-117 spared humanity from annihilation at the hands of the Covenant armada.  John is left in effect a machine doing nothing but his duty with militaristic style and undo resolve.  Ironically, the one connection 117 has is to a digital artificial intelligence, Cortana.  Left alone together adrift aboard the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn spaceship, Master Chief laid in suspended sleep while Cortana had nothing to do but think and rewire herself.  In Halo 4, Cortana comes back more human looking than ever, and is breathtakingly rendered.  Symbolizing Cortana’s evolution towards humanity and being more a young woman than robot, her expressive face tells stories within the story.

 

The story of Halo 4 centers mostly on Cortana’s “rampancy” –an increasingly fatal dysfunction that A.I.s develop after 7 years of service where they literally think themselves to death.  Cortana has been in commission for 8 years.  Throughout the campaign, it becomes the source of urgency as her dysfunction elevates in severity with Master Chief hoping to get Cortana to her maker before she is destroyed.  343 Industries leaves 117’s and Cortana’s relationship ambiguous and largely unspoken, though highly complex.  The highlight is the conversation in which Cortana asserts that she wants to find out who the machine is -him or her?

 

Outside of the overarching story line with Cortana, the premise is the fighting of an ancient enemy left behind by the Forerunners.  With no spoilers, I can elaborate little about the enemy itself and discuss only on its effect.  In truth, it lacks the thrill of the Covenant battles in passed Halos with a lull in the middle of the game.  However, at the end of the mission that feels to lack direction, cut-scenes bring back excitement with new developments and information.  The best part of this story line and the developments with Cortana is the ending that has a huge and one of the most satisfying payoffs in Halo video games.  I do, however, suggest that gamers familiarize themselves with Halo fiction outside of the game.  In particular, the internet mini-series “Halo: Forward Unto Dawn” is so tied into a central character of Halo 4 that it is a must watch (See my review here).  In addition, forerunner fiction from “Halo: Legends” and/or the novels will supplement the experience.

 

With questions left unanswered, it is clear that Halo 4 leaves many things for the latter two installments of the Reclaimer Trilogy to explain.  The campaign is not a completely rounded out story all by itself -nor does it seem 343 intended it to be.  Many in-between parts dealing with protagonists aboard the UNSC Infinity and outside of Master Chief are to be dealt with in “Spartan Ops,” the online chapter multiplayer experience.  Overall, it achieves a story worthy of high praise and keeps this gamer looking forward to Halo 5.

 

VERDICT: 4/5

Forward Unto Dawn Review

343’s Message to Hollywood:

If you’re not making Halo live-action, we’ll do it our-fucking-selves

(No Spoilers)

An unprecedented event in the video game medium, 343 Industries with Microsoft has produced a webseries to tie into the story of its next installment in the Halo franchise.  With good acting, a healthy budget, and creativity, “Halo: Forward Unto Dawn” (2012) soars as an epic chapter in popular art.

The forerunners of Halo, Bungie, and the reclaimers of Halo, 343, have taking great effort and pride in their storytelling.  With “Forward Unto Dawn,” 343 is making it clear it wants no stone left unturned.  The story follows Cadet Thomas Lasky (played by Tom Green) of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) through his time at the Corbulo Academy of Military Science amidst a war between the rebelling colonists known as the insurrectionists and the central government.  The supplemental videos to the webseries establish that Lasky is morally conflicted, believing that the insurrectionists have a right to freedom as his military family including his revered Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) brother along with his classmates encourage him to join their counter-insurrectionist cause.  His lack of zeal is reflected in his poor performance his freshman year and is the bane of his squad immediately.  As Lasky gets provoked by his squad, it instigates determination and creativity on the part of Lasky -only on the edge of victory to learn of an allergy which may warrant a medical discharge should he choose to take it.  On the eve of his decision and after sharing a kiss with squad member Chyler Silva (played by Anna Popplewell), the alien axis known as the Covenant surprise attacks the school and the planet, leaving horror and destruction in their wake.  As Lasky and his surviving classmates run and hide, they are momentarily saved by Master Chief Spartan-117 and attempt to follow him to safety.

Like the boot camp portion of “Full Metal Jacket” (1987), the school pushes young soldiers to their limits while demeaning and challenging them, though less militaristic and more prestigious.  Corbulo Academy establishes itself and a major theme of the earlier episodes with the story of Roman General Corbulo, who when asked to take his own life by messengers of Nero Caesar did not hesitate to loyally do so shouting “Axios!” (“I am worthy!”) and falling on his own sword.  Unlike “Full Metal Jacket,” after all of the training portion of the series is over, it does not disappoint with continuing suspense and action.  The invasion of the Covenant armada is as suspenseful as the best thrillers even though viewers that have been gamers of Halo for years know the enemy well.  343 makes good use of a strange, viscous enemy that has camouflage technology.  The acting through the school episodes and the invasion carries the series well, developing empathy with every character involved without weakness.  Acting is bolstered by good special effects with clear views of CG aliens with unparalleled quality in made-for-internet entertainment.  Though brief, it cinematically provides enough to satisfy any Halo fan’s wish for live-action Covenant.

The supplemental episodes are a must for anyone who wants to get as much out of the story as they can.  The music and direction are key supporters, while its only weaknesses are the structure of a webseries and having a not completely satisfying ending.  The set design and style shows off an authentic Halo universe that shines an a example to Hollywood on how to make a Halo movie.

343 meets the challenge of Halo live-action well to not only promote Halo 4, but provide new fiction for the Halo universe.  It develops the character of Thomas Lasky, who as industry officials already revealed will appear in Halo 4.  It gives continued investment in the world outside Master Chief and leaves audiences wanting more.  Undoubtedly, “Halo: Forward Unto Dawn” will be regarded as the greatest mini-webseries yet.

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Halo 4 comes out November 6^th at midnight everywhere

Halo: Forward Unto Dawn comes out on Blu-ray December 4^th, 2012, and is available for viewing on Halo Waypoint and Machinima Respawn on YouTube

Halo 4 vs. Black Ops 2

Comparing Story, Campaign Experience, Multiplayer, and Other Game modes

This November 6^th you have an important decision to make.  Weigh the options and choose carefully.  Of course, I’m talking about whether you should buy Halo 4 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, though you could and should buy both if you are not strapped for cash.  For some, the choice is made with extreme fanboy prejudice and state how the other is trash.  Others figure their budget and free times are too short and are looking for the most efficient purchase.  Perhaps you might be deciding which one to give as a Christmas gift or which one you want to ask for this Christmas.  If you’re weighing your options, look no further for an objective view.

To judge these games before they come out, we must observe their predecessors and the expected divergences in these sequels.  Halo 4 is the 7^th Halo franchise video game and the 6^th first person shooter in the series (not counting Halo: Anniversary).  It follows the story where Halo 3 left off with main protagonist Master Chief John Spartan-117.  The latest Halo game before it is Halo: Reach.

Call of Duty (CoD): Black Ops 2 (BO2) is the 9^th Call of Duty game and is the 6^th what is referred to as “modern” Call of Duty in which the multiplayer engine, killstreaks, and player perks are present.  BO2 is a direct sequel to CoD: Black Ops made by Treyarch Studios.  The latest CoD game is Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) made by Infinity Ward.

SETTING & HISTORY:

The world of Halo spans the galaxy where humanity has colonized foreign planets to such a degree that few humans have been to or know someone from Earth.  Previous to the first game, prequel Halo: Reach began during the insurrection where colonies war for independence while the United Nations Space Corps (UNSC) maintained that cumulative resources are needed to support those colonies not self-sustaining.  To combat the insurrectionists, the central government created a super soldier “Spartan” program taking children and augmenting them for their cause.  However, the theocratic alien alliance known as the Covenant launched a surprise genocidal campaign against the humans declaring them an affront to their gods and obliterated humanity on planet Reach.

The first in the original trilogy of Halo games began after the fall of Reach when the Covenant discovered one of seven super weapons called “Halos” left over from a long extinct alien race known as the Forerunners.  The Covenant believed that activating the Halo would initiate “The Great Journey” to transcendence, when in reality its purpose is to wipe out all sentient life in order to extinguish an overwhelming alien parasite known as the Flood.  The last Spartan, Master Chief John-117, ended the war with the Covenant, destroyed a Halo installation, and exterminated the collective mind, or “Gravemind,” of the Flood at the end of Halo 3.  Severed from contact with all civilization, Master Chief froze himself in cryogenic suspended animation while his A.I. companion Cortana stands beside him with nothing to do but think as they float aimlessly through space.  When he wakes up 4 years later, Halo 4 begins.

For further analysis of the Original Halo Trilogy, see my article on Video Game Story Quality

The original Black Ops game took place during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.  The main protagonist, covert black operative Alex Mason, fought through conflicts such as the Bay of Pigs and the Tet Offensive in Vietnam.  At the beginning of the game, he is strapped in a chair and interrogated to eventually discover that he has been brainwashed by the Soviets.   Numbers flash through his head and is repeatedly asked what the numbers mean.  Mason finally remembered what became planted in his head and uses it to stop a deadly chemical weapon known as Nova-6 being used against the USA.

Black Ops 2 takes place in the year 2025 aside from some flashbacks to the 1970s.  Frank Woods, a supporting protagonist in the original Black Ops, leads through the story of the 1970s while Alex Mason’s son faces the brave new world of near-future tech.  Drones led military presence, and as old Frank Woods suggests, the enemy steals the keys.

STORY (versus):

So what happens when the enemy does steal the keys?  David Goyer, best known as the cowriter of the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, gives us the answer in BO2.  While Goyer’s involvement is the #1 reason to anticipate a story to compete with Halo, his work on the first Black Ops is only okay.  However, the premise is stronger with more room for creativity and profound value.  A future setting implies a warning and contemporary elements such as YouTube and the 99% movement make this world more plausible.  Call of Duty games may not have a history of great storytelling, but they have been good enough in the past.  Expect BO2 to be the CoD’s strongest story yet at the hands of David Goyer.

To say that the company who began the Halo franchise back in 2001, Bungie, created the Star Wars of video games is an understatement.   With the next trilogy of Halo 4-7 (the Reclaimer Trilogy) in the hands of 343 industries, the question remains whether 343 will continue the tradition of masterful storytelling in their first original game after Bungie finished their involvement in the franchise with Halo: Reach.  The expectation is absolutely positive.  Microsoft created 343 solely for the purpose of caretaking the Halo franchise and the company has already proven itself in storytelling with the superb “Halo Legends” anime short collection and the New York Times Bestselling “Forerunner Trilogy” of books.  On top of it all, they won’t be starting something that was not meant to be made.  In Halo 3’s ending, Master Chief floats aimlessly in the ship Forward Unto Dawn when it ominously approaches what appears to be an artificial Forerunner planet.  The direction of the new trilogy will be focusing on Master Chief more as a character than an allegory and delves deep into his past becoming a Spartan super soldier and how it relates to the Forerunners’ legacy.  In previous Halo games, a machine left behind by the Forerunners known as 343 Guilty Spark constantly refers to Master Chief as the reclaimer of what the Forerunners left behind and even refers to him as a Forerunner.  As the made-for-internet series “Forward Unto Dawn” leads into the story of Halo 4, watch it and catch up on Halo fiction in order to receive a rich experience out of the game’s campaign.

SPECULATION: 67% Halo 4, 33% Black Ops 2

CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE (versus):

Halo has had a consistent standard of campaign gameplay that differs little from game to game.  While adding features and new enemies, the practice has always been a linearly directed gunfight and clever outmaneuvering of your opponent while picking up weapons left by your fallen adversaries.  The campaign mode is fun and is open enough to let the players kill off their opponents their own way while having the option of playing with up to 3 other players.  The graphics have been some of the best this generation of consoles has seen, and the cinematography is breathtaking art.  The increased difficulty and options to modify gameplay after the player finds skulls in game account for most of its replay value.  For its music, art, and story, campaign mode is worth experiencing several times like a movie.

BO2 takes a hard turn away from the traditional Call of Duty experience while keeping the core of gameplay the same.  In recent CoDs, each game has been going for a larger shock factor than the other and has been underdeveloped –thought of as an attached obligation to have in the game rather than a key component.  With quick deaths in the game, play style is extremely rigid with trial-&-error being the main key to success.  Black Ops 2, however, differs in one significant way in being able to choose paths in a non-linear fashion with more choices allowing the player to game in the way they find the most fun.  This change will also radically increase replay value.  Distracting however, are the lackluster graphics which lag severely behind rival first person shooters (fps).  CoD’s campaign is often completely ignored by those who buy it for multiplayer alone.  Overall, expect BO2’s campaign experience to rival the fun of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare back when single player gameplay was still paid attention to.

SPECULATION: 57% Halo 4, 43% Black Ops 2

MULTIPLAYER (versus):

Like single player campaign, Treyarch changes 5 years of stasis with Black Ops 2’s changes to multiplayer.  “Modern” CoDs have given the player 3 special abilities called “perks” giving the choice between a certain set within each slot with a primary and secondary weapon, a grenade, and a tactical grenade such as a flashbang.  BO2 changes that with its “pick 10” system allowing more customization than ever before while letting the player make cost/benefit analysis.  BO2 changes the endgame from previous CoD games from (sort of) impressing other players with earned rank and camouflage to having complete free range in customizability.  BO2 also changes killstreaks (rewards to players for kills in a row) to “score-streaks” rewarding objective play.  Most importantly, BO2 has removed all elements in the game that reward players for being bad at the game such as deathstreaks and perks that only activate after the player should have died.  Until now, Call of Duty has been comparable to college football without a playoff: loved but hated for being so imperfect.  Treyarch is out to make BO2 the most competitive CoD yet with skill and good decision deciding the winner in matches.  To reflect this attitude, BO2 is introducing the new “call-cast” feature and makes watching professional and otherwise competitive matches more fun than ever.  There will, however, likely be overpowered weapons and setups which dominate game lobbies with homologous, cheap characters.  The technical prowess of the series has not improved and has in fact declined.  The original Black Ops and MW3 boast some of the worst online connections in video games; however BO2’s connection cannot be accurately predicted at this time.  This game will undoubtedly be better than MW3 and has a chance to be the best CoD multiplayer yet, though without a beta there is still a significant chance BO2 will disappoint.

Halo 4 is evolving its multiplayer system rather than revolutionizing it.  Halo’s online gaming atmosphere is more casual than CoD’s and is more fun to some with better connections and less cheap, game-breaking elements.  343 is attempting to adapt some elements of Call of Duty into its game which gamers often find lacking in Halo.  It will increase the pace of the game with sprinting being an inherit ability in each player and will reward players for score-streaks with airdropped ordinance.  The types of vehicles will be expanded upon, and like before is apt to only enhance the online experience.  With Halo’s online gaming community being more focused on fun rather than frustration, Halo’s multiplayer is the clear choice for causal gamers while appealing to hardcore gamers alike.

SPECULATION: 58% Black Ops 2, 42% Halo 4

Other Game Modes (versus):

Spartan Ops is a new game mode that is essentially online multiplayer with a story.  Following the end of the campaign, a new breed of Spartans spars aboard the UNSC Infinity Spaceship and arrive at the Forerunner planet where the main story takes place.  The story of Spartan Ops will progress in free weekly episode downloads like a television show.  This is a grand evolution not just in Halo, but gaming in general for its production value, story in multiplayer, and price.

Zombie mode is an incredibly popular game-type Treyarch introduced in CoD: World at War with “Nazi Zombies.”  Its appeal is mainly conceptual and aesthetic gaining a following in a similar way to cult films.  To some, it has been second only to multiplayer mode, while others find the experience completely boring and appealing only as a gimmick.  Zombies mode has been expanded in BO2 with somewhat of an open world story mode, the traditional survival mode, and a new versus type where players on opposing teams try to screw over and outlast each other.  While Zombies mode would capably be competing with the survival-type mode of “Firefight” in Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, it instead is up against a grand new multiplayer story mode.

SPECULATION: 60% Halo 4, 40% Black Ops 2

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is the most ambitious Call of Duty game to date as company Treyarch attempts to revitalize a creatively dying franchise.  Halo 4 is 343 Industries’ move to evolve the Halo franchise more than any of its predecessors.  Halo 4 will be a fantastic game with solid game mechanics, a deep and complex story while adding to what is already great.  Black Ops 2, while ambitious, is still a bit of a question mark whether the problems of past CoD games will plague it or if it will be the game that players have wanted the franchise to become since the first modern Call of Duty.  What is known for sure is Halo 4’s higher production value and artistic advantage as well as CoD’s addicting online juggernaut of a presence whether the game is good or bad.

The choice between the two should be determined by the type of gamer you are.  If you have no online connection with Xbox Live service, then the lack of Spartan Ops may tip you in the direction of BO2 if you enjoy the Zombie mode.  If you are new to first person shooters and lack skill in gaming, the online gaming community of Halo may be the friendlier option.  If you are an art and story appreciator, Halo 4 is your choice.  If you are into highly competitive gaming with your friends, BO2 is more your style.  All things being equal, Halo 4 is likely to be a better game, but both are worthy choices.

Continue following Leather Wing Media at leatherwingmedia.wordpress.com &/or follow the twitter handle @JBryanJones for post-launch coverage of Halo 4 and Black Ops 2.  Expect a review of Halo 4’s story and a first impressions article on Black Ops 2’s multiplayer.